Aston Villa defender Clement Lenglet has turned things around for himself in Unai Emery’s team after a string of strong performances at centre-back.
Aston Villa have had their potential successes threatened by injury this season although now, Unai Emery may have a headache for selection.
The management did not anticipate having to deal with the loss of three important players to ACL injuries this season, especially in light of the increasing number of injuries that are occurring elsewhere in the team.
The team has been talking about Boubacar Kamara’s season-ending injury against Manchester United, but the defense also suffered a major setback that same week.
Due to Diego Carlos’ injury, Emery’s backline is currently without the Brazilian, Tyrone Mings, and Ezri Konsa. The only players available are Pau Torres, who recently returned, and Clement Lenglet, who is ranked sixth.
Following Villa’s recent victory over Fulham, where Lenglet showed off his skills, the hierarchy might have shifted.
Clement Lenglet’s performance versus Fulham
When the starting lineup was announced at Craven Cottage, Pau’s comeback was the talk of the town. However, not everyone was pleased with the Spaniard’s performance after the match.
According to Sofascore, Lenglet was equally as effective as his counterpart in the back, recording eight clearances, winning two of the three ground duels, and achieving an impressive 98% pass completion percentage.
After the game, Luke Robinson, host of the UTV Podcast, praised the Frenchman’s performance as “very solid,” noting that his playing style seemed to complement Pau’s perfectly.
The Barcelona loanee’s forward-thinking playmaking allowed him to provide his teammate the freedom to explore while serving as the anchor in defense, which on one occasion led to a goal for Villa.
With his partnership with Pau, the France international may have a better chance of playing in the starting lineup going ahead following an outstanding showing away from home.
For Aston Villa, Clement Lenglet has emerged as an untouchable.
At Fulham, the Brazilian might have teamed Pau in central defense if Carlos had been healthy, but Emery may now have to consider a change in the starting lineup.
Lenglet didn’t just have a great performance against Fulham; he also recently displayed his abilities against Manchester United and Sheffield United.
The Frenchman was flawless against the Red Devils, winning all of his ground duels and projecting an air of authority alongside Carlos, even in the face of defeat.
A similar evaluation was conducted following the 5-0 triumph over the Blades, in which he amassed 112 touches and demonstrated his dependability when needed by maintaining a 93% passing accuracy.
Although Carlos has performed well for the Villans this season, he has also exhibited some rash play in recent games, most notably against United when he failed to react quickly enough to Scott McTominay’s late winner.
Lenglet’s lack of playing time at Villa was a factor in Barcelona’s desire to revoke his loan before Christmas, but the center-back has since made things better.
Now, if his performances hold up, the boss might be persuaded to give the 28-year-old a starting position alongside Pau soon.
